Sudden Actions
by Lesera128
Summary: Set a few weeks after the events in Season 3's "Blood Fever", Lt. B'Elanna Torres has to deal with Lt. Tom Paris when he demands that they confront what happened to them on the Sakari home world… and things get physical. Paris/Torres. One-shot. Complete.


Sudden Actions

By: Lesera128

Rated: M

Disclaimer: The all powerful Paramount owns all characters and things related to Star Trek: Voyager including Tom Paris, B'Elanna Torres, and the events in the episode "Blood Fever." I am simply borrowing Tom and B'Elanna and giving them happier and more interesting lives. But, I promise to return them when I'm done...maybe.

Summary: Set a few weeks after the events in "Blood Fever" (Season 3),

Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres has to deal with Lieutenant Tom Paris when he demands that they confront what happened to them on the Sakari home world… and things get physical. [Paris/Torres] One-shot. Complete.

Author's Note: As I am going through my harddrive, I am reposting some of my various fan fic pieces that I have written over the years. This particular piece holds a special place in my heart because it was the very first fan fic piece I ever wrote… way back in 1997. I like to think my style (and plot skills!) have matured since then, but it still tickles me to look back and see where I started. So, without further adieu, enjoy!~

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><p>Tom Paris looked around to see who remained of the guests that had attended the surprise birthday party that Harry Kim had thrown for him. He noted that among the handful of people still left milling about his quarters, all of the senior staff was still present. Captain Kathryn Janeway appeared to be in a deep conversation with Commander Chakotay and Kes. Neelix hovered to the left of Kes, like a type of watch dog, while the Doctor sort of just stood in the background, taking in the new scenes that his mobile emitter made possible for him to see. Over on the other side of the room, Harry Kim was talking to B'Elanna Torres as Lieutenant Tuvok stood nearby observing in silence. The stoic Vulcan only occasionally added a brief comment when he thought that it added to the discussion.<p>

Thankfully, Tom was finally by himself after enduring several hours of being the center of attention. It's not that he didn't like being the focus of everyone's attention, but only when he decided that he wanted to do so. Tom pushed the few remaining crumbs of cake around of his plate, trying to look interested in the dessert. It actually tasted pretty good considering that Neelix had made it. No Leola root. Just plain, good old-fashioned birthday cake. Nothing fancy, just straight, simple, and to the point. The cake was how Tom liked most of the things in his life to be. However, lately his life had been just

the opposite, and it was driving him crazy.

Tom sat picking at the slice of birthday cake while his mind was on other things. He ventured a quick look at her, but managed to return his focus of attention to the chocolate cake before she turned away from Harry and gazed at him. A few more minutes passed before the rest of the senior staff began to leave as it was late and most of them had to get up for early duty shifts in the morning. The Doctor, Tuvok, Kes, and Neelix were the first to go, each wishing him a Happy Birthday.

The captain came up to him, followed by Chakotay, as she too prepared to leave. A small smile was on her normally serene face as she said, "Happy Birthday, Tom. I hope that you have had a good celebration so far."

Smiling, Tom said, "Yes, well, I am. I guess. Captain, I just wanted to thank-you once again for giving me the day off tomorrow. It's not often I get to miss a shift with permission. Really, it's one of the best gifts that I have gotten so far."

Kathryn Janeway smiled again as she chuckled, "Actually, Tom, Harry was the one that came up with that gift suggestion. It was sort of a good way to conserve replicator rations on coming up with a gift for you. As a matter a fact, I think that Harry is the one that will be covering your shift at conn tomorrow. So you should really be thanking him."

An expression of disbelief was on Paris's face as he joked, "Harry? At my post? I didn't even know that he could fly a shuttle let alone Voyager."

Chakotay came up behind Paris, and said with a smirk on his face, "Contrary to popular belief, Tom, you're not the only pilot on Voyager."

"Ha! Ha! That's so funny, Chakotay. At least I bring a majority of the shuttles I fly back to Voyager in one piece," Paris quipped.

"Low blow, Tom," Chakotay said with a half-serious look on his face.

All three officers laughed.

Janeway's quickly turned into a yawn. "Well, gentlemen, as fun as this party has been, I'm exhausted. And, I still have a mound of reports to go through before I collapse from exhaustion. I'd better be going. Happy Birthday again, Tom," the captain said.

Chakotay added, "Same here, Tom. Just do us a favor and try not to get into any trouble tomorrow, ehh?"

Paris flashed one of his trademark grins at his commanding officer as he said, "Who? Me? Don't worry, Chakotay. I'm going to spend the entire day sleeping, no doubt."

Becoming a bit more serious, Chakotay said, "Well, I can certainly understand that. After all that business with the away mission on the Sakari Home world, and then the encounter with the Borg, I don't think a single one of us has gotten nearly the amount of rest that we deserve. Why, B'Elanna had even been working the hardest out of any of us. She's been pulling double shifts in Engineering to get the repair work done on the damage from the battle with the Borg, and at the same time she is trying to finish installing the new warp coils. B'Elanna definitely deserves a break, too. I just haven't been able to convince her to take the day off, yet."

Tom thought glumly, *I bet I know why that is. She has done nothing but avoid me since we came back from the planet, and has only talked to me once since then. Probably wouldn't have even said anything then if she hadn't been stuck in a turbolift with me. God knows that she wouldn't have even come tonight if it hadn't been for all of Harry and all his hard work. I probably should tell him what happened done on the Sakari Home world, to let him know what is going on, but I am not quite sure myself.*

Janeway interrupted Paris's thoughts as she said, "Good night, Tom. See you in a couple of days."

Paris nodded as he replied, "Night, Captain." He nodded in acknowledgment to Chakotay as the first officer followed Janeway out of the room.

That left the only people still in the room besides himself to two in number - Harry and B'Elanna. With the level of noise dropping somewhat with the majority of the guests leaving, B'Elanna seemed to suddenly notice that only Harry's presence was keeping her from being alone with Tom. She quickly made an excuse to Harry to discontinue their conversation. B'Elanna then darted for the exit. But, as she did so, Tom decided that they had gone on behaving like this for long enough.

He called out to her, "Lieutenant Torres, could you wait a second? I have something that I wanted to talk to you about."

Torres stopped, and looked as if she were about to continue on before she stopped and said through clinched teeth, "Sure, Lieutenant. But, I only have a few seconds to spare. I have an early shift that I have to get up for tomorrow morning. I need to get some sleep."

Tom nodded at her as Harry yawned and said, "Yeah. I have to get going, too. I have to get up early in the morning to cover somebody's shift at conn while he is dozing away all comfortable in his nice and warm bed. I better be going. Happy Birthday, Tom."

Paris walked towards Kim and extended his hand. He grasped it as Tom said, "Thanks again, Harry. This party really meant a lot to me."

Kim grinned his boyish smile as he replied, "Well, what are friends for? Good night, now. See you in the morning, Tom."

Releasing Kim's hand, Paris said, "Sure thing. Good night, Harry." Kim nodded his head in a parting gesture to both Paris and Torres as he yawned once more. He then exited the room, leaving Tom and B'Elanna alone.

Torres immediately walked towards the door as soon as Kim had left the room. Paris reached out to stop her as he said, "Hey, wait a second. We really do need to talk."

Torres shrugged him off as she said, "Look, Lieutenant. I only agreed to stay until Harry was gone to be polite. I didn't want to be overtly rude in front of him. But, right now, all I really want to do is leave."

Tom shrugged as he said, "If you want to leave so much, why did you come at all, B'Elanna?"

In a very hostile voice, Torres said, "I only came, Lieutenant Paris, because Harry asked me to. I know how hard he worked on this party for you, and I didn't want to spoil it for *him*. I didn't come for *you*."

Becoming even more frustrated with her hostile behavior, Paris tried to remain calm. Trying to divert her aggressiveness, he said, "You know, Lieutenant, I do have a first name. As a matter a fact, if I remember correctly, you used to call me by it, instead of Lieutenant Paris, all the time… at least when you weren't trying to avoid me all the time. But that seems like it was a very long time ago."

"I am *not* trying to avoid you," Torres said evenly.

Ignoring her comment, Paris said, "Now, I know what you said before, but we need to talk about this, B'Elanna."

Torres's grimace softened a bit as she said, "Listen, Tom. What happened, happened. There's nothing that I can do about that now. All I can do to is try to get past it. When I said I really did appreciate the fact of what you were willing to do for me, I meant it. But, that's done with now. Whatever I did or said that day on the planet doesn't matter because it wasn't really me."

Shaking his head, Tom said, "That's what you said before, but I refuse to believe it. It was more than just some chemical imbalance. Something did happen, B'Elanna, and you can't ignore it forever."

B'Elanna sighed heavily in frustration at his words. She thought for a moment before she finally said to him in an agitated voice, "What do you want me to say, Tom? That something really did happen on the planet, and that I really do feel something for you?"

Tom took a few steps closer to her as he said, "I want you to tell me the truth. That's all."

By now, B'Elanna was beginning to pace even harder, much like a wild animal that had just been trapped. She said, "I have to get out of here. I can't deal with this right now, Tom."

Moving towards the exit, Torres again tried to leave. However, Tom sprinted the short distance to her, and grabbed her arm harder than he had intended to stop her from leaving.

She looked at him in utter disbelief, disbelief that quickly turned into anger and growled, "Let go of me!"

Tom shook his head as she continued to try to pull away. He tightened his grip on her arm as he said forcefully, "No! Not yet. Not until you talk to me, and tell me the truth."

B'Elanna became even more furious at his response and again struggled to get out of his hold. When that didn't work, B'Elanna drew back and hurtled herself against Paris. The two crashed into a wall as she again tried to get free. B'Elanna could feel her temper rising and her self-control slipping.

Tom was stronger then he appeared, and he grabbed her by both arms to try to restrain her to a further degree. Responding to her captivity, Torres lashed out at him. She struck at Paris in an attempt to distract him so that he might loosen his grip on her. Tom reflexively shoved B'Elanna back as he defended himself. He pushed her back against another wall on the opposite side of the room. Penning her against the wall, Tom held both of her arms extended outwards to give her less room to maneuver to get free.

He then said breathlessly, "Now, we're going to stay just like this until you calm down, and we talk this thing through".

B'Elanna's last bit of self-control was almost gone as she again snarled, "I'm warning you, Tom. Let me go!"

She again tried to pull away, but Tom threw more of his body weight against hers to hold her penned there. Tom wasn't sure how much longer he could keep up repressing her actions because it was taking all his strength to immobilize the strong half-Klingon. Tom was amazed that he had even been as successful as he had been for as long as he had. Suddenly, Tom's mind jumped back to the moment when he had held B'Elanna in his arms on the Sakari Home world. The memories flooded his mind. Tom felt the same way at this moment as he had then. Only this time, he wasn't sure what was going to happen. The urges that he had resisted then were just as strong this time if not stronger.

It was at that instant in time that the last of B'Elanna's control seeped away. The savageness of her instincts was all that remained. She again looked into Tom's eyes as she growled.

Tom remembered enough of their last encounter to know how to respond this time. The question was if she would accept him or not. Tom flinched as he thought of what she would do to him in response if she didn't. Not knowing why he did what he did, Tom acted only out of instinct. He loosened the hold he had on one of her hands that he had pressed to the wall. Taking his own freed hand, Tom grabbed B'Elanna's head by her hair. He pulled her head back to the left and exposed part of the skin at the place where her neck met her shoulders. B'Elanna's uniform covered a great amount of her skin, but not enough so that she didn't feel his warm lips of her skin.

Tom's other hand loosened the grip that he had on her right arm. He wrapped it around her torso. B'Elanna's own hands began to claw at the fabric of the black and burgundy uniform that covered his back. She snapped her head up and again bit Tom on the left cheek where she had before on the Sakari Home world. The only difference was that this time she was responding to what Tom had initiated. And B'Elanna had accepted him.

If the bite that B'Elanna had given him caused any pain, Tom did not show it. Instead, he grabbed her by the shoulders and tossed her down to the ground. However, a miscalculation of distance had caused her to fall back and her foot stumbled on something that had fallen to the floor. B'Elanna careened backwards until she fell down upon the glass coffee table that was in front of the sofa. It smashed directly upon impact. Shards of glass flew in all directions, but B'Elanna only rolled out of the way. She ignored the mess on the floor, as did Tom when he saw that an injury that she had received was obviously minor.

A warm drop of something fell from Tom's cheek. It was only at that movement that Tom noticed that blood was beginning to drip on his cheek from the place where B'Elanna had bit him. He wiped his cheek with the back of his hand. Only seconds later had the drops been replaced as the wound continued to bleed slightly. However, in the heat of the moment, it was not of paramount importance to either person. Instead, like a predator stalking his pray, Tom moved upon B'Elanna. His first move was to throw himself down so that his body came down on top of hers. B'Elanna groaned under the weight, and rolled them over so that she was on top. As she did so, B'Elanna grabbed for his arms. She succeeded in grasping them in one try and immediately pushed them up hard, over his head. Tom winced as the muscles in his arms protested their new and strange position by sending shooting pains to his brain. He disregarded those sensations.

B'Elanna held Tom's arms there as her own head came down to his bleeding cheek. She moved her lips towards the wound and tasted the blood that had again accumulated on Tom's cheek. She snarled at him. Tom finally answered her growls with one of his own. His blood was on fire as was B'Elanna's. Each one was breathing rapidly and sweat was beginning to accumulate along each of their brows. Tom again rolled the two of them over so that he was on top.

Tom positioned his legs so that they restrained B'Elanna by keeping her immobile. He was able to free his hands. After he had done that, Tom paused for a moment, took a quick breath, and said rapidly, "Computer, secure door lock. Authorization Paris 48-Alpha-2."

The clipped voice of the computer replied immediately, "Code confirmed, door secured."

At the sound of his voice making intelligible sounds, the human in her, or rather the Star Fleet Officer seemed to gain control of B'Elanna while the unleashed Klingon momentarily lost control. A clash was ragging on in her as the two halves wrestled for supremacy.

While the brief struggle was occurring, B'Elanna said to him quickly, "Tom, are you absolutely sure about this? I feel a battle being fought in me, and I don't know what will happen if I lose control again. It's so hard to fight...so strong."

In response, Paris said softly, "Somebody once gave me some very good advice when I was in a situation very similar to this once before…. So I'll tell you the same thing and suggest you take the advice to heart..." He took a deep breath before he said, "Be quiet and don't think, just act...We'll deal with whatever...whatever the consequences are, if there are any consequences...later."

B'Elanna felt her briefly regained control slipping. And when she lost it once more, she knew that she would not recover it this night. Tom tightened the grip that his legs had on her and brought his torso so that it was directly up against hers.

Tom grabbed for B'Elanna's failing arms and succeeded in grabbing them both in his first attempt. She struggled against his hold, but not as forcefully as a full Klingon woman would have. She simply couldn't maintain the level of strength and intensity that a Klingon woman normally would have due to the fact that B'Elanna had human blood running through her veins.

Although his cheek still burned a little from the bite that B'Elanna had given him, it did not hurt nearly as much as it had before. Tom truly had no idea how he would explain the wound to The Doctor or Kes, let alone any other injuries that he might sustain this night. But the desire to feel the sensation of B'Elanna's flesh was growing, and Tom reacted. Taking his free hand, Tom quickly swiped the communicator pen from B'Elanna's chest and then from his own. He threw them against the far wall, and he heard two clinks as they landed near a potted plant that was in the corner by the door.

Paris then took his other hand and tore at the clasp that held B'Elanna's outer black tunic on her lithe form. Only in frustration did he succeed in freeing it. The jacket was quickly discarded as Tom took his other hand that had been holding hers and began caressing her shoulders and back. B'Elanna's gray turtleneck was still a hindrance, but Tom quickly pulled that over her head so that it was only a moment more before it joined the black and gold tunic on the floor.

Feeling Tom's hands run down the flesh of her back helped to somewhat satisfy the human desires in her, but the Klingon wanted more. B'Elanna lashed out at Tom and locked both of her hands in a fist. She thrust upward so that she knocked him square in the jaw. The force of the blow knocked Tom away, and B'Elanna scrambled to her feet.

On the top half of her body, B'Elanna was now clad only in the loose gray tank top that all Star Fleet female officers were for comfort and support under the standard issue uniform. In addition, B'Elanna wore a black bra under her uniform for extra comfort and support. One of the straps on both her tank top and bra had fallen off her shoulder, but she paid it no heed. Only two things were present in her mind. The first was that the boots and the rest of the clothing that she was still wearing felt like it was strangling her. The second thing was that, although Tom was still rubbing his jaw from where she had hit him, he was beginning to recover from being momentarily dazed. And when he was recovered, he was going to come after her.

Kicking off her boots, B'Elanna felt a bit more comfortable when she felt the solid ground underneath her toes. Tom also took the opportunity to remove his boots, although it took him a bit longer to take them off than it had taken her. Once he had finished the task, Tom had come and taken a position that was directly across from her. Paris was now crouching down and moving like a predator that was about to pounce on his prey. B'Elanna was circling him as well. Tom was the first to act, and he threw himself fully against her. That knocked them out of the first chamber that they had been in, to the room that was next store. The room that happened to be Tom's sleeping chamber.

The two landed on a black lounge chair that was in the corner on the opposite wall from the bed and to the left. The chair's front metal support leg broke in two as soon as the sudden and unaccustomed weight was thrown upon it. As with everything else that had not been concerned with interrupting them, Tom and B'Elanna ignored it. B'Elanna landed under Paris who had been distracted by the fall. She lashed out at him, and scratched his other cheek. B'Elanna elbowed him hard in the chest. Tom grimaced when he heard a distinct crack. However, the injury was paid no more attention than that flinch as both parties were too wrapped up in what they were doing to pay it any more attention.

Standing up, Tom used his right leg to sweep B'Elanna's legs out from under her. She fell with a thud against the bed, hitting her head. The woman shook her head once to try to clear her blurry vision, but Tom was already on her. He landed a blow with the heel of his hand to her left shoulder blade. Then he scooped her up and tossed her onto the bed. B'Elanna disregarded the shooting pains in her shoulder where Tom had hit her, but instead concentrated on the fact that he had again thrown himself on top of her.

B'Elanna tried to roll them over so that she would be on top, but Tom held his ground. He grabbed her two wrists and pulled her arms over her head. Holding them there, he locked his knees against her sides once more. It was then that he again brought his face down to hers in a kiss. Tom lifted his head for a moment to draw breath afterwards, and B'Elanna seized the opportunity to free one of her hands.

She formed a fist an came down hard on the left side where Tom's shoulder met his torso. He winced and briefly lost his concentration. This allotted B'Elanna more than enough time to scramble off of the bed, but Tom's quick reflexes only let her get a far as being trapped in that corner of the room. She feinted to one side and then to the other in hopes

that she could trick Tom into letting her pass by. However, Tom matched each of her feints well, and made a move of his own. Extending one of his legs, Tom again swept B'Elanna's legs out from underneath her. She fell immediately, and this gave him time enough to fall down beside her. B'Elanna scrambled to her knees, and she tried to come at him again, but could not. Torres simply did not have enough energy to fight him anymore. Surrendering, she fell back on her knees, and Tom came up on his own in a similar fashion.

B'Elanna grabbed for Tom's body, and pushed hers up against his. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and Tom began to ache even more when he felt his skin brush up against her soft flesh. Bringing his hands up to her face, Tom gently cupped it as he pressed his lips to hers. As soon as B'Elanna had tasted Tom's kiss, she immediately yearned for more.

Drawing back slightly to draw breath, B'Elanna had the opportunity to grasp the outer jacket of Tom's black and burgundy uniform. She tore the jacket off of his body, and reached up and pulled his own gray turtleneck off. Tom drew closer to her once more, and he searched for her soft and warm lips. He found them as B'Elanna pressed her body up against hers. Standing there for a moment, his bare chest pressed against hers, Tom's heart rate became even more spasmodic.

Paris moved his lips from hers to B'Elanna's cheek. He began to run them down her neck and onto her shoulder blade. After a moment more, Tom bent and collected B'Elanna in his arms as his lips were still pressed against her own. Still ignoring the sharp pains in his chest, Tom walked over to the bed and brought them both down on it. With an even more amount of gentleness, Tom withdrew his lips from B'Elanna's, and caressed her cheek with his hand. After a few seconds more, Tom once again descended upon B'Elanna's lips and let instinct have its way.

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><p>A while later, Tom held B'Elanna's now still form in his arms. She stirred, and her dark brown eyes fluttered open. Staring up at him, she shifted. Her hand went immediately to her left shoulder. It was throbbing. Tom felt sympathy because his own body ached in more places than he cared to count. Gingerly, B'Elanna turned and looked up at Tom. His face was scratched and a scab had started to form where she had bitten him.<p>

Her hand moved up to the wound and gently traced the mark that had been left on his skin. "Tom, I, ah..."

Tom smiled slightly as he said, "Don't, B'Elanna. I knew what I was getting into from the time this whole thing began."

Shaking her head, Torres said, "But, I hurt you. I didn't mean to…."

Tom again grinned slightly as he told her, "I know that already, B'Elanna. But, don't give yourself that much credit. It's just a few cuts and bruises. Nothing to worry about. What I am more concerned about is you. You and the fact of how my quarters look right now. They're in shambles. It almost looks like a tornado has been through here."

Upon surveying all of the damage that they had done, B'Elanna laughed out loud. The broken chair lay on its side in the corner of his bedroom, and a painting had fallen from its hangings. Glancing out into the other room, she saw the glass shards from the broken coffee table and the over turned potted plant. Her gold and black uniform was among this mess as was his burgundy one. Several other pieces of their clothing were also in the clutter of things on the floor.

Tom smiled when he saw her reaction to the damage that they had both done to the room and said, "We certainly made a mess of the place didn't we?"

B'Elanna again laughed as she said, "You did more of it than me, Paris."

Tom stared at her incredulously before he stammered, "Me? But, it was you who..."

Torres immediately shut him up by planting a kiss on his lips. The action achieved the desired results as Paris forgot all about his indignation.

Once their lips parted, Torres asked him, "What time is it? I'm due in Engineering at seven hundred hours for my shift."

Tom looked truly uninformed as he called out, "Computer, what is the current time?"

The computer replied, "Current ship's time is four hundred thirty-four hours."

B'Elanna nodded as she said, "Good. That should give me just enough time to go by sickbay and get my shoulder looked at. After all, what would my staff say if I

walked in like I had just been in a brawl?"

"Normal night in the Torres household?" Tom joked.

B'Elanna shot him a look, but said nothing. As she rubbed her aching shoulder, Torres added, "Whatever you did, you sure hit there hard."

Tom looked gently at her as he said, "You know that I didn't mean to."

B'Elanna answered, "I know that. Of all people, I know how easy it is to get carried away sometimes. I..."

She was cut off as one of the communicator badges chirped to life. "Bridge to Lieutenant Paris. Please respond."

Paris recognized Tuvok's voice. He immediately grabbed the outer blanket from the bed and wrapped it around his body. He raced to where his uniform lay tossed on the floor only to discover that the comm badge was not there. Tom found that out and the fact that in his lower chest he was experiencing a great amount of pain.

B'Elanna sat up and gathered the remaining sheet tighter against her own form. She said to Tom, "Over by the plant in the other room. I think that's where they landed."

Paris nodded and came up with one of the pins in a flash. Only when Tuvok signaled him again did Tom realize that he had picked up B'Elanna's instead of his own. He tossed her to her and then activated his own once he had found it. Tom said breathlessly, "Paris, here."

Tuvok's voice came over the comm line, "Lieutenant, I am sorry to disturb your slumber, but your presence is required on the bridge at your earliest convenience."

Tom replied, "I'll be there shortly, Tuvok. As soon as I can, I'm on my way. Paris out."

Tom began to race about the room gathering up the rest of his uniform as it was the closest one available. He grimaced when he bent down to retrieve his gray turtleneck. B'Elanna was by his side in a minute.

She said to him, "You are hurt, aren't you? We need to get you to sickbay, too."

Tom shook his head as he said, "It's nothing, really. Just a little bruise. Right now I have to get to the bridge."

Paris began to pull the gray shirt over his head when B'Elanna's own comm badge went off. Tuvok's voice once again came over the line. "Bridge to Lieutenant Torres."

She replied, "Torres, here."

Tuvok said, "I am sorry to disturb you during Gamma shift, Lieutenant, but please report to the bridge as soon as possible."

B'Elanna answered simply, "Acknowledged. Torres out."

B'Elanna came and began to follow Paris's suit as she gathered up her own clothing. She pulled on her uniform quickly as Tom finished do so. Within five minutes, both were standing fully dressed, facing each other. Tom's face grimaced in pain as B'Elanna ran her fingers to smooth her hair as best she could manage.

Turning to Paris, she said, "Okay. First we go to sickbay, and then to the bridge. We'll be there inside of ten minutes."

Paris was about to protest again while Torres came up and placed one of her fingers over his lips in response. She said to him, "Look, Tom. I don't know about you, but I would feel better if we didn't go to the bridge looking like this. Especially you. We both look like we have been in a fight. Now, I would stop by my quarters to finish add the final touches to my wonderful appearance, but I don't have time. I don't suppose I could borrow your brush or comb to at least straighten my hair?"

Hobbling over to his dresser, Tom hit one of the control buttons to open the draw. He took out the requested items of which he tossed the brush to B'Elanna. Meanwhile, he tried to fix his own rumpled hair as best he could.

Looking somewhat better already, he said to her, "Look, I should probably leave first. Then you can follow. It would be less suspicious that way if anyone saw either of us leaving here. I don't know about you, but I'm not exactly thrilled about the idea of being the talk of the ship's grapevine tomorrow. Word would spread quickly if it got out. You know how small a ship it is, and how it thrives on gossip…."

B'Elanna shook her head as she said, "I see your point. But, that's no good for two reasons. First, I want to make sure that you do actually go to sickbay. I know how much you love going in there. You probably love it even more than me, but I just want to make sure that you do go and pay The Doctor a social call. Two, you can barely walk by yourself. You'd never make it to sickbay alone, let alone the bridge."

Paris again began to protest, but the determined look in Torres's eyes told him to save his breath. He said in a resigned voice, "Okay. Okay. Let's just go."

Nodding, B'Elanna came and put Tom's arm around her neck as he used his other to clutch his side. Before they reached the exit to the cabin, Paris said, "Computer, unlock and the resecure door. Authorization Paris 48-Alpha-2."

The computer replied, "Authorized confirmed." With that the door slide open, and Torres and Paris began to hobble towards sickbay.

* * *

><p>A few minutes later, Torres and Paris limped into sickbay. Not surprisingly, The Doctor walked right up to them as soon as they entered sickbay. Kes was not far behind them as she had stayed up most of the night working on new triage techniques for away team injuries. After Neelix had broken his leg on the Sakari Home world, it was seen that Voyager did not have a suitable system for dealing with medical emergencies that The Doctor might not be affective in. Thus, Kes had tried to solve the problem and was working on it when Tom and B'Elanna came in. The Ocampan ran toward the couple when she saw Tom holding his side and B'Elanna grunting and cursing with every step.<p>

She said with genuine concern present in her voice, "B'Elanna? Tom? What happened? How badly are you hurt?"

Shaking his head, Paris tried to grin to ease the worry of the young woman. He said, "Oh, it's just a little twinge that I'm having in my chest. Nothing really that major…."

The Doctor came and helped Paris onto a diagnostic table. He then returned to Torres who was being helped by Kes onto the bed opposite the one that Paris now occupied.

When he noticed the grimace of pain replacing the normally emotional but never pained facial expression that Torres always wore, he asked, "What's wrong with you, Lieutenant?"

Through clinched teeth, Torres replied, "Nothing, really. I just had a little accident, and I think I hurt my left shoulder."

The Doctor said tersely, "You stay here, and I'll examine you after I finish with Lieutenant Paris."

Torres, without even though slightest of protests, did as she was ordered. The Doctor was briefly shocked although he didn't show it. It was the first time that Torres had ever done anything he asked or ordered without a comment of some sort.

*Something definitely happen tonight. I wonder what it was,* The Doctor thought.

The hologram went and picked up a medical tricorder from a nearby instrument tray. As The Doctor scanned Paris he said, "I assume that your and Lieutenant Torres's injuries are related?"

Looking over at the engineer for some type of instruction, all Paris received back was an unsure gaze. Sighing, Tom shifted slightly as he said, "Yes, they are. B'Elanna decided to take me to the holodeck to teach me some new defensive maneuvers as a birthday gift."

The Doctor's eyebrows raised ever so slightly at Tom's reply. He then said as he placed the tricorder scanner back in its holder, "At four o'clock in the morning, Lieutenant? That's an odd time to engage in calisthenics, don' you think?"

Tom only commented, "I couldn't sleep, and neither could B'Elanna."

Accepting the answer, although he didn't seem all that convinced, The Doctor said, "Ah. Well, perhaps next time you'll come to me for a sleeping aid. Like warm milk. If nothing else, the next time that you decide to use that particular program, be a bit more careful?"

Again Tom nodded in agreement. The Doctor said to him, "Good. Just don't forget it. Now, whatever the program was, I can see that you definitely had a thorough workout just from the injuries that you sustained. It looks like, Mr. Paris, that you have two cracked ribs on your right side, a fractured left scapula, a sprained mandible, muscle strains in your left and right arms, and numerous cuts and abrasions all over your body."

The Doctor added, "Perhaps, also, on your next use of this particular program you will chose a difficulty level a bit more suitable to your current lack of abilities?"

Not waiting for a reply, The Doctor turned to Kes and said, "Let's give him some hydrocortilene to dull the pain, and then start with healing the ribs and scapula. I will require the osteogenic stimulator before I continue, Kes."

The young woman nodded silently and went to get the requested tool.

After a few minutes, The Doctor said, "After I finish repairing these cuts with the dermal regenerator, you'll be all patched up, Mr. Paris. You might have some tenderness in your side for a few days, but it shouldn't be anything more serious than that. If you do, call me at once because it might mean my scans missed something, and it could be serious."

Paris bobbed his head up and down in acknowledgment while The Doctor finished his treatment and then moved onto tending B'Elanna.

A very big look of surprise was on Torres's face when she heard The Doctor's diagnosis of Paris's injuries. She had had no idea that he had been hurt so badly. However, when B'Elanna realized that The Doctor was moving on to her, she looked down and focused her attention on the floor carpeting.

When The Doctor came and began to examine her, he again raised his eyebrows as he said, "Well, Lieutenant Torres, you aren't hurt quite as badly as Lieutenant Paris, although I see that you have had your exercise for the day as well. You have a slight concussion and a broken right clavicle. Nothing that can't be healed in a few minutes."

He began to treat B'Elanna, and meanwhile Tom stalled by talking to Kes. The Doctor did not pay attention to this, but instead asked, "Lieutenant, I don't mean to pry into the lives of any crew members and their personal business, but when such extensive medical treatment is needed like this, I become a bit concerned. What I am trying to ask is..."

Torres sighed as she knew what he was trying to ask. She cut him off by saying, "I know what you are trying to ask, Doctor, and you were right in thinking it not appropriate for you to try to became involved in my personal affairs. But, in all truth, I'm fine, and so is Lieutenant Paris. I just think that they calisthenics program we tried was at a level a bit too advanced for him. Maybe for me, too. All in all, I just had a little accident which resulted in my injuries. Let's leave it at that."

The Doctor said, "As you wish." He pressed a hypospray into B'Elanna's neck as he added, "All right. That should be all. I've healed the break, and given you a minor painkiller to help counteract the effects of the concussion. You'll be fine, and you are free to go. Just contact me if you experience in symptoms like headaches or dizziness, and we'll correct the problem."

Torres hopped off the diagnostic table and said, "Thanks, Doc." Torres paused for a moment and then turned back to the Doctor. Nodding at him, she said, "Not that you would say anything to anyone, but this treatment stays confidential, right?"

The hologram replied, "With the exception of a entry in the medical log and each of your patient histories, of course. Just try to be a bit more careful in the future. Please?"

B'Elanna nodded her head in reply as Tom came up behind her. There were no traces of any cuts left on his face. He was even smiling when he came up behind her and heard the tail end of what The Doctor had said to her.

"Ready to go, Lieutenant? I believe that we were due on the bridge several minutes ago," Tom said to B'Elanna.

She gestured towards the door and turned to leave.

Tom attempted to do so as well, but not before The Doctor said to him, "That goes for you, too, Mr. Paris."

Tom nodded his head in response, blushing slightly while doing so. A second later the two were gone, and The Doctor went to fill out the necessary reports, shaking his head in exasperation.

* * *

><p>~The End~<p> 


End file.
